Summer School Short Course: Ancient Greek Religion
Come face to face with the ancient gods and the religious practices they inspired, in a short course for the Hellenic Museum's Summer School 2026.
Time & Location
05 Jan 2026, 3:00 pm – 09 Jan 2026, 4:00 pm
Hellenic Museum or Online, 280 William St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
Event Details
Join the Hellenic Museum and Dr Christopher Gribbin at the ninth annual Summer School. Spend a week exploring the spectacular and fascinating world of the ancient Greeks and Romans in this series of informative, relaxed and entertaining short courses, where anyone is welcome!
About this course
Ancient Greek religion contains both elements that are very familiar and elements that are very different to modern Western religions. Accompanying the Museum’s current exhibition, Rituals: Gifts for the Gods, this course looks at the ancient Greeks’ beliefs and practices, answering questions such as:
What happened in a Greek temple?
How did the Greeks’ myths fit into a religion?
How were events like the theatre and the Olympics part of religion?
What did the Greeks do to get a better fate in the afterlife?
Understanding a society’s religion is a great way to understand what was most important to it, and ancient Greek religion is an interesting and surprising phenomenon.
Session times and topics
This course consists of 5 sessions over 5 days, delivered in-person or online at 3–4PM daily (AEDT). People taking part online can participate live or watch recorded lectures at a time of their convenience. Sessions will cover:
The Basic Elements of Greek Religion – Gods, Prayers and Sacrifices
Temples and Sanctuaries
Festivals – the Theatre, the Olympics, the Panathenaea and Rites of Passage
Magic and Prophecy – Manipulating the World and Telling the Future
Dealing with Death – Eleusinian Mysteries, Pythagoreans and Orphics
About the presenter
Dr Christopher Gribbin is a public historian, specialising in ancient Greece and Rome. He has a particular interest in understanding how people make sense of the world, whether through religion, philosophy, myth, art or architecture.
Christopher is an Adjunct Lecturer at La Trobe University and has also lectured at Melbourne and Monash universities. He founded the University of Melbourne’s Classics Summer School in 2002 and ran it for 15 years. He has run the Hellenic Museum Summer School since 2018.
Christopher is actively involved in bringing the ancient world to the community in a meaningful and entertaining way. He regularly talks to community groups, professional organisations and school groups. He has worked on special events with the Hellenic Museum, Humanities 21, the National Gallery of Victoria and Melbourne Museums. He has developed educational products with the ABC and the History Teachers’ Association of Victoria. He also records podcasts and leads cultural tours visiting ancient sites with Australians Studying Abroad.
He is well regarded as a clear and enthusiastic teacher who loves to share his passion about the ancient world with the community. Find out more about Christopher.
Explore other courses
There are four courses on offer in 2026. Visit the Summer School hub to explore individual courses, or bundle and save with a four-subject pass.
FREE LECTURE: Myth and Religion in Ancient Cyprus
Get a taste of what's to come at this free talk presented by your Summer School lecturer, Dr Christopher Gribbin. Discover the magic of ancient Cyprus through its various religious sites – including the iconic Sanctuary of Aphrodite – as we explore their variety and the fascinating myths that went along with them. 11AM Sunday 30 November, online or in-person at the Hellenic Museum. Bookings essential – click here to reserve your free place.
Tickets
Single Course Enrolment
From $135.00 to $165.00
$165.00
$135.00
Total
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